The Piper in the Dark
The Piper in the Dark is a story that shares more information on the Man in White. It takes place at various points in the series timeline and traces the bare minimum of his involvement, and was written on September 3, 2016. It can be found here. Characters * Abdul Alhazred * Ash Williams * Azula * Bill Cipher * Conan the Barbarian * Darth Rex * Kull of Atlantis * Revan * Solomon Kane * Sonja the Red * The Man in White * Yomi Isayama Story Details The story begins with the narrator explaining the concept of the ongoing fight between good and evil, before explaining where they fit in. Claiming to be the one in between the clashing forces, they show a variety of heroes that have been instrumental in thwarting or otherwise hindering their scheme before the story shifts to a variety of points in time. In the Nameless City, Abdul Alhazred; author of the Necromonicon ex Mortis is being tortured for daring to write the secrets of the Nameless City and compile it into the book. As he is, a cloaked figure with the claw of a monster enters and kills all who attempt to stop him. Coming to the chief torturer, he asks if the man knows him, to which he says yes. He then proceeds to demand for Abdul as he has a need for him. When the torturer protests, he kills him and quotes the Mad Arab himself, claiming he has a need for him yet. The scene shifts to a conversation between Kull of Atlantis and the cloaked monster who is explaining to him, how men are men- No matter what sort they are and that greed for power is universal. As he speaks, he examines a staff thoughtfully and decides then to take it. The scene shifts once more to the conclusion of an ancient Murder Game. Taking the name 'Malachi', the monster is now in the form of a man. The staff he had taken all those centuries before is now a cane, the head of it is his own clawed hand. Facing against Solomon Kane, Conan the Barbarian, Sonja the Red and Ash Williams in a graveyard, as they leap for him he savors their bravery and prepares to fight. The scene then shifts to the death of Darth Rex, knocked off the Wheel of Reincarnation into the monsters hands. Known now as the Man in White, he alludes to the other lives of Darth Rex and begins the torture to extract all information he had. The next scene that appears is an extract from The Lightbringer Chronicles and The More Things Change. The Man in White plays chess with Revan and casually reveals some of his plans, as well as insinuate just how old the Shareholders as a whole actually are. The scene shifts then to the aftermath of ''Welcome to the Falls''. With Bill Cipher owing them much, the Man in White speaks to the Dream Demon privately and explains that if he helps a friend 'finish his work', they might be able to call it even. The final scene shifts to the aftermath of Blackest Knight. The Man in White hears their report on the death of Jinx and seems thoughtful before acknowledging there was nothing they could do. Adding that he has a replacement member in mind, he dismisses them and Yomi Isayama joins him. Claiming she could handle Lucifer on her own, the Man in White says flatly that he knows how she spared him before. Looking out the viewport of the ship they're on, he smiles and adds that it doesn't matter so much now. The Coalition is about to go to war with each other and all they have to do is watch. The story ends with the Narrator - The Man in White himself, vowing that however the conflict ends between the more public factions, it is they who will come out atop as the victor. Trivia * Lucifer Anghelscu, Makoto Naegi, Teresa Agnes, and Ruby Rose briefly appear in the beginning. * Though his name given is "Malachi," it's not actually the Man in White's real name. * The claw on the end of the Man in White's cane came from his own hand, in the distant past. * The story was originally simply named after the Man in White himself. Category:Side Stories